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Eight Polycom Customers Recognized As Laureates And Four Named As Division Finalists By The Computerworld Honors Program

Global Information Technology Awards Foundation Pays Tribute to Individuals and Organizations That Use Information Technology to Benefit Society

PLEASANTON, Calif. - 09 Jun 2009 : Polycom, Inc. [Nasdaq: PLCM], the global leader in telepresence, video, and voice communications solutions, is delighted to announce that eight of its customers have been recognized as Laureates by the Computerworld Honors Program. Four of these eight Laureates were named as Finalists in their division. This year's Honorees were commemorated during the 21st Annual Laureates Medal Ceremony & Gala Awards Evening, which took place June 1, 2009 at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C. For more than two decades, Computerworld Honors has acknowledged those individuals and organizations that have used information technology to benefit society.

"The Computerworld Honors Program is a highly prestigious awards competition, and we couldn't be more pleased to see such a high number of our customers being honored by the program," said Bob Hagerty, chairman and CEO of Polycom. "We extend our heartfelt congratulations to each of the eight Polycom Laureates that were selected. We are extremely to be an integral part of these collaborative communications programs that are being used to improve the lives of people around the world."

Each of the honorees is using Polycom to break through geographical barriers to educate, care for, and enrich the lives of others. The list of honorees includes:

  • Cherokee Health Systems (FINALIST) – Video conferencing gives Cherokee Health Systems the ability to serve 17 rural school clinics with only two nurse practitioners, a feat that would be physically impossible to achieve without the use of technology. Offering immediate access to on-site medical services improves student health, reduces absenteeism and increases satisfaction from all stakeholders. Eliminating the excess costs of travel and "down time" allows the service to be provided in even the most remote schools in a cost-effective manner.
  • Cooperating School Districts of Greater St. Louis (FINALIST) – Cooperating School Districts' video conferencing distance learning program, New Links to New Learning, has connected thousands of Missouri's K-12 students to peers, authors, and experts around the state, the country, and the world.
    "We're delighted that our New Links to New Learning videoconference program has been recognized as a Laureate for 2009 by Computerworld Honors Program," said Ruth Litman Block, director of the Virtual Learning Center at Cooperating School Districts. "I'd like to thank Polycom for nominating the New Links to New Learning to Computerworld for consideration. What a great way to celebrate 10 years of New Links to New Learning videoconferencing at Cooperating School Districts!"
  • Massachusetts General Hospital-PARTNERS HEALTHCARE (FINALIST) – A recognized leader in stroke telemedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital has built a self-sustaining regional telemedicine network of community hospitals focused on providing the right stroke care to the right patients at the right time.
    "When it comes to the assessment and treatment of stroke patients, time is brain," said Dr. Lee Schwamm, director of Acute Stroke Services and TeleStroke at Massachusetts General Hospital. "By collapsing the barriers of time and distance using video conferencing technology, we are able to share the acute stroke expertise of the MGH with a broader community of patients across the state and around the world. We are honored to be recognized as a Finalist by the Computerworld Honors Program, and we wish to thank Polycom for nominating our program."
  • Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) (FINALIST) – RIDBC's Teleschool uses video conferencing technology from Polycom to overcome the problems of geographical distance. From its main campus in North Rocks, Sydney, Australia, RIDBC makes specialist teachers, consultants, and therapists available to more than 140 children living in rural and remote areas of Australia.
    "It is a tremendous privilege to be recognized as a Laureate, and to receive the Crystal Award as a finalist as part of the Computerworld Honors program," said Jan North, Manager of Children's Services at RIDBC. "This recognition will help to drive awareness of the Teleschool service, which Polycom's high-quality video conferencing solutions make possible by enabling RIDBC staff to connect face-to-face, and in real-time, with families that have a child diagnosed with hearing and/or vision loss living in rural and regional areas of Australia."
  • Berrien Regional Education Service Agency (Berrien RESA) – Berrien RESA Instructional Technology administers the Videoconference Program Database - the largest and most accurate video conference program database in the country. With more than 1,500 listings, the database allows Berrien RESA to provide global communication opportunities for its students.
    "Berrien RESA is thrilled to be recognized by the Computerworld Honors Program for our videoconferencing abilities," said Dennis Lundgren, Berrien RESA's Director of Instructional Technology. "We have worked to ensure that students in southwest Michigan actively participate in worldwide learning experiences. Video conferencing is an excellent technology to facilitate that learning."
  • Loddon Mallee Rural Health Alliance – Australia's Loddon Mallee Health Alliance is bridging the distance between trauma patients in rural areas and city-based medical specialists by using innovative high-definition visual communication solutions from Polycom. Their unique virtual trauma application connects specialists in metropolitan Melbourne to the bedside of critically ill patients in regional hospitals across the state of Victoria.
  • Manhattan School of Music – Recently hailed as the gold standard for interactive distance learning, Manhattan School of Music's Distance Learning Program, the first of its kind in the nation, has grown into an internationally recognized program that has delivered 100 programs in classical and jazz music to approximately 1,700 students in 30 states and 15 countries. With the goal of engaging and inspiring a new generation, MSM is reaching out to urban, rural, and underserved K-12 school systems to deliver live music content where it is most needed.
  • Vivid Solutions – The Vivid Solutions national telemedicine infrastructure connects New Zealand hospitals, the Ministry of Health, and many small regional medical centers to a secure managed service. It is a subscription-based service through which each user has uncapped 24/7 access to the network.
    "We're delighted to be a part of the Computerworld Honors program," said Simon Hayden, managing director of Vivid Solutions. "Being given the opportunity to be seen on a global stage such as this will assist us in gaining ore support and buy in from the sector and in the current climate, any form of assistance is beneficial. I would like to convey my thanks to Polycom for nominating us and to Computerworld for taking the time to read the case study."

About the Computerworld Honors Program
The Computerworld Honors Program unites Chairmen and CEOs of the world's foremost information technology companies to recognize the most outstanding user achievements in technology each year. The technology achievements honored by this program are preserved and protected in national archives, and in over 350 universities, museums, and research institutions throughout the world. Each year, members of the Chairmen's Committee, a group of 100 Chairman/CEOs of global technology companies, nominates individuals and organizations around the world whose visionary applications of information technology promotes positive social and economic progress. Independent of the Laureate recognition, the Computerworld Honors Program also annually presents its Leadership Awards, each designed to honor the extraordinary achievements of selected individuals whose positive contributions to the IT revolution have left an indelible mark on the world.

About Computerworld
Computerworld is the leading source of technology news and information for IT influencers worldwide. Computerworld's award-winning Web site (www.computerworld.com), weekly publication, focused conference series and custom research form the hub of the world's largest (40+ edition) global IT media network. In the past six years alone, Computerworld has won more than 100 awards, including Folio Magazine's 2006 Gold EDDIE Award for the best technology/computing magazine, the 2004 and 2006 Magazine of the Year Award, and 2006 Best Overall Web Publication from the American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE). In addition, in 2007 Computerworld's then editor in chief, Don Tennant, received the prestigious Timothy White Award from American Business Media. Computerworld leads the industry with an online audience of over 2 million unique, monthly visitors and a print audience of 1,222,000 readers each week (IntelliQuest CIMS Spring 2007).

About International Data Group (IDG)
International Data Group (IDG) is the world's leading technology media, events, and research company. IDG's online network includes more than 450 Web sites spanning business technology, consumer technology, digital entertainment, and video games worldwide. IDG publishes more than 300 magazines and newspapers in 85 countries including CIO, CSO, Computerworld, GamePro, InfoWorld, Macworld, Network World, and PC World. IDG's lead-generation service, IDG Connect, matches technology companies with an audience of engaged, high quality IT professionals, influencers, and decision makers. IDG is a leading producer of more than 750 technology-related events including Macworld Conference & Expo, LinuxWorld Conference & Expo, Entertainment for All Expo (E for All), DEMO, and IDC Directions. IDC, a subsidiary of IDG, is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events. Over 900 IDC analysts in more than 90 countries provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends. Additional information about IDG, a privately held company, is available at idg.com. Note: All product and company names are trademarks of their respective companies.

About Polycom
Polycom, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCM) is the global leader in telepresence, video, and voice solutions and a visionary in communications that empower people to connect and collaborate everywhere. Please visit www.polycom.com for more information.

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